After the final day’s military parade, Ye Qingyang and Lu Jingcheng’s military training officially came to an end.
They had both performed exceptionally well, especially Ye Qingyang. Class 10 took first place in both the room inspection and the military parade.
With the parade over, the students returned to their dorms to pack their bags and prepare to leave.
Everyone folded their military training uniforms neatly, placed them one by one into the bags next to the drill instructor as instructed, and politely said goodbye.
Drill Instructor Xu watched as they changed back into their regular clothes one by one, feeling a touch of reluctance.
After returning the uniforms, everyone lined up in orderly fashion. Drill Instructor Xu took one last look at them and said, “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Instructor.”
Some were excited, some reluctant, and some felt a mix of emotions.
Instructor Xu waved his hand to dismiss them. He watched as they made their way toward the bus, some carrying backpacks and others pulling suitcases.
After a moment’s thought, he called out to Ye Qingyang.
Ye Qingyang turned back in confusion and saw Instructor Xu beckoning him over.
Ye Qingyang handed his suitcase to Lu Jingcheng and walked over.
“Wait a moment,” Instructor Xu said, walking to a set of steps nearby.
A moment later, when he returned, he was holding a lunchbox filled with mulberries.
“Here you go. Didn’t you say you were craving some earlier?”
Ye Qingyang couldn’t help but smile at this.
A few days earlier, they had been organized to go to the base’s auditorium to watch a patriotic educational film.
The auditorium was quite a distance from the training ground and was somewhat secluded.
Ye Qingyang followed Instructor Xu all the way there and only then noticed a mulberry tree standing beside the auditorium’s entrance.
Instructor Xu and the Third Company Commander walked up to the tree and kicked it a few times, causing a large number of mulberries to fall.
The two shared them, making the students watching on the sidelines look on with envy.
Ye Qingyang wanted some too, so after Instructor Xu returned to the ranks, he asked him, “Are they good?”
Instructor Xu chuckled. “You want some? You can’t have any—they were planted by one of our old comrades.”
Seeing that he wouldn’t allow it, Ye Qingyang gave up on the idea of sneaking out later to pick a few.
To his surprise, just as he was leaving, Instructor Xu actually gave him a box.
“Thank you,” he said happily.
Instructor Xu looked at him, his eyes full of affection. “Alright, take this and head back. Study hard.”
“I will,” Ye Qingyang said, taking the mulberries from his hand and smiling as he left the military training base.
Chen Wei looked at the mulberries in his hand and said jealously, “Instructor Xu really does like you.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Lu Jingcheng turned and gave him a look. “Can you make a perfect square with your body? Can you march in step? Can you carry the flag? Is your military boxing form correct?”
He sneered, “You can’t do a single thing, yet you expect the instructor to like you.”
Chen Wei: …
Chen Wei thought that someone like him—who hadn’t made his bed once in seven days of military training, and hadn’t even bothered to tidy up his bunk—had no right to say that!
“As if you’re any different.”
“That’s why I’m not jealous.” Lu Jingcheng slipped one hand into his pocket and pulled Ye Qingyang’s suitcase.
Chen Wei snorted, thinking to himself, Of course you’re not jealous—Ye Qingyang treats you so well. Do you really think that box of mulberries would have been missing yours?
But clearly, Ye Qingyang was nice to him too, so no one was left out of that box of mulberries. All eight roommates got a share—even Bai Le, that ever-loyal critic who spoke his mind every day, got a portion.
After handing out the mulberries, Ye Qingyang wiped his hands with a wet wipe, gazed out the window, and slowly closed his eyes.
Lu Jingcheng watched him for a long time, then shifted slightly inward.
He watched Ye Qingyang leaning against the window, his head bumping against the glass from time to time. Ye Qingyang didn’t seem to mind; he just rubbed his head with his eyes closed and went back to sleep.
Lu Jingcheng: …
Lu Jingcheng helplessly reached out a hand to block Ye Qingyang’s head from making contact with the window.
He gave it a gentle nudge, and Ye Qingyang’s head rested against his shoulder.
Ye Qingyang opened his eyes dazedly, looking at the face mere inches away. “Bro Lu?”
“It’s okay, go back to sleep,” Lu Jingcheng said.
Ye Qingyang didn’t think much of it and closed his eyes again, drifting back to sleep.
Chen Wei sat in the back watching, silently covering his eyes.
Bai Le couldn’t be bothered to pay attention; he’d already figured out that his childhood friend was bound to come out of the closet sooner or later.
The ride back to the city was smooth, and the bus pulled up in front of the school.
The students got off one by one, either heading out to eat with friends or going straight home.
Lu Jingcheng was a bit hungry, so he had dinner with Ye Qingyang and Chen Wei before hailing a taxi to head back.
As usual, he dropped Ye Qingyang off at his place first. Ye Qingyang said goodbye and entered the residential complex.
Lu Jingcheng watched his back, thinking that this week, it would be best if the two of them just stayed in the dorm.
Ye Qingyang unlocked the door with his key and walked inside.
At this hour, Ye Hong and her family were still at work; no one was home.
He went into his room, lay on the bed for a while, then took a shower.
When Ye Hong and the others came home from work, they found Ye Qingyang sitting on the couch eating fruit and watching TV.
Ye Hong paused for a moment, but Ye Qingyang actually waved at her.
He had been away for seven days, and since he was just returning, Ye Hong didn’t feel right about scolding him or making him do chores right away, so she said nothing and went into her own room.
That evening, they had a peaceful dinner. Ye Qingyang went back to his room and soon fell asleep.
Lu Jingcheng, however, lay in bed, tossing and turning.
He had been sleeping with Ye Qingyang in his arms for the past few days, and now that he was suddenly alone, with the familiar warmth gone from his embrace, Lu Jingcheng inexplicably felt he couldn’t quite adjust.
He tossed and turned in bed for quite a while, not feeling sleepy until well past midnight.
Unsurprisingly, Lu Jingcheng didn’t get up the next day.
His mother called out to him for ages, but seeing that he had no intention of getting up, and considering how exhausting military training had been for him, she didn’t force him. Instead, she called his teacher to excuse him from school.
Lu Jingcheng’s younger sister, Lu Jingxi, stood at the door, looking at him lying in bed with obvious disdain. “He doesn’t even go to school,” she said contemptuously. “No wonder his grades are so bad.”
“That’s because your brother was too tired these past few days. Xiao Xi, you should hurry off to school.”
“I’m off!” Lu Jingxi waved her little hand at Lu’s mother and skipped away.
Lu Jingcheng slept until 11 o’clock before finally getting out of bed. After washing up and changing his clothes, he went downstairs to eat.
“You’re awake?” Lu’s mother smiled. “What made you so sleepy? Didn’t you sleep well during military training?”
“I slept just fine during military training. It was last night I didn’t sleep well.”
Thinking of this, Lu Jingcheng said directly, “Mom, I want to apply to live in the dorm.”
Lu’s mother paused in surprise.
“Board at school?”
Lu Jingcheng sat down beside her. “Yes, board at school. I’m in my sophomore year now, and it’s time to focus on my studies. But I’m not very disciplined, so if I board, my classmates can keep an eye on me, which will help me study.”
Lu’s mother didn’t see it that way. “If you’re in the dorm, will you even have the mindset to study? I’m afraid you’ll just end up playing around even more.”
“Is that really how you see me?” Lu Jingcheng was shocked. “Is that really how you view me?”
Lu’s mother chuckled. “Forgive my frankness, but yes, it really is. I don’t think you’ll actually study hard just because you’re in the dorm.”
Lu Jingcheng: …
Lu Jingcheng stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
He didn’t want to chat with his mom anymore!
Lu’s mother chuckled. “Come back here. Dinner isn’t ready yet. Why don’t you tell me—why did you suddenly decide you want to live in the dorm?”
Lu Jingcheng turned to look at her.
Mrs. Lu patted the spot next to her on the sofa. “I’ll have to invite you to sit down.”
Lu Jingcheng had no choice but to sit back down. “You won’t believe me anyway, so why bother explaining? I’ll just show you my report card in a month.”
“So you’ve made up your mind?”
“That’s right,” Lu Jingcheng nodded. “I can’t concentrate on my studies at home. I might as well live on campus and get help from the top students in my class. That way, I’ll improve faster.”
Seeing his “whether you agree or not, I’m boarding anyway” attitude, Lu’s mother thought it over and decided it might not be such a bad idea.
Lu Jingcheng’s grades had always been a major headache for her. If boarding school could improve his grades, there was no harm in giving it a try.
At worst, if it didn’t work out, she could always bring him back home.
“Alright then, but once you’re at boarding school, you have to work hard and ask the top students plenty of questions, understand?”
We’ll see, Lu Jingcheng thought to himself. His main goal was to keep an eye on Ye Qingyang.
“Okay.”
“When do we start?”
“Tomorrow,” Lu Jingcheng said.
“Tomorrow?” Lu’s mother was shocked. “You really can’t wait, can you!”
“I need to go pick out a dorm room. Otherwise, what if there aren’t any suitable ones left by then? What if I can’t get used to it?”
Lu’s mother: …
Lu’s mother thought he was quite spoiled.
“All right,” Lu’s mother agreed. “But the dorm conditions at school are probably just average—nothing like home. Don’t come running back after only a couple of days, saying you can’t get used to it.”
“No way. I managed to stick it out for seven days during military training.”
Hearing this, Lu’s mother asked curiously, “How was military training? You were sick back in middle school and couldn’t go, so this is your first time, right?”
Lu Jingcheng nodded. “It was actually pretty fun.”
“Wasn’t it hard?”
“It was okay.”
“So you didn’t turn your nose up at the food?”
“I could have just chosen not to eat it.”
After all, Ye Qingyang had brought him other snacks.
“Did you make a bed like a block of tofu?”
“No.”
“No?”
Lu Jingcheng smiled. “There’s a classmate in my class who’s really good at it. He helps me make my bed every day.”
Lu’s Mother: …
“You’re pretty popular with your classmates, aren’t you?”
“Of course.” Lu Jingcheng looked quite smug. “There are plenty of people who like me.”
“So, is there anyone you like?”
“Of course not.” Lu Jingcheng’s voice boomed. “I haven’t even mastered my studies yet—what’s the point of dating!”
Lu’s mother patted him on the shoulder. “Remember what you said today.”
“Don’t worry,” Lu Jingcheng assured her.
With Ye Qingyang’s grades, things are already a mess without a girlfriend. If he were to start dating, well… Lu Jingcheng thought he might as well apply to repeat the year.
After finishing his meal, Lu Jingcheng finally took a ride to school.
Ye Qingyang saw him arrive and waved hello.
Lu Jingcheng walked over to him, leaned in close, and whispered, “Tomorrow we’ll go check out the dorms, and then we’ll move in right away.”
Ye Qingyang: !!!
Ye Qingyang thought that was way too sudden!
They’d only just gotten back!
“That’s way too fast.”
“The midterms are almost here, and you’re still not studying hard,” Lu Jingcheng lectured him. “Tomorrow follows tomorrow, and tomorrows are countless. If I wait for tomorrow, everything will be wasted!”
Ye Qingyang: …
Lu Jingcheng spoke again, “Youth fades quickly, but learning is hard to master; not a single moment should be taken lightly.”
Ye Qingyang: …
Lu Jingcheng opened his mouth again. Seeing that he was about to recite another poem at the slightest provocation, Ye Qingyang quickly cut him off. “I get it.”
“Then it’s settled.”
“…Okay.”
“Are you really happy about this?” Lu Jingcheng asked.
Over the moon!
Ecstatic!
Thrilled!
Overjoyed!
Ye Qingyang: …
Ye Qingyang really couldn’t bring himself to dash his hopes. “Well, I guess I’m pretty happy.”
Lu Jingcheng ruffled his hair. “I knew it.”
Ye Qingyang: …
Wait, what exactly do you know?!
You don’t know a thing!